I'm a serial dieter with a love of food and drink. If you want healthy, but really delicious food ideas that can feed the family follow my blog!

Thursday, 29 September 2011

Trout with Roasted Vegetables & Giant Couscous

Trout is the new salmon and giant couscous is the new couscous in our household! I have long been cooking my salmon with couscous and roasted vegetables and I didn't think it was possible to improve on it, but OMG! We are in food love with this new version!

Trout is a much under-used fish but I just love it's delicate flavour. I prefer it over salmon and if you follow WeightWatchers you will be pleased to know it is slightly better on ProPoints then salmon. So give it a go!!

Until recently, I've only had giant couscous in a pre-bought salad type pot in the supermarket. Since finding it in Waitrose (Merchant Gourmet brand is very good) I've been experimenting with it alot and love it's chewy texture. It's very quick and easy to cook too but just like normal couscous you need to add flavour to it so I cook it in stock.

You'll need for 2:

120g giant couscous

2 x 120g trout fillets, skin on

1 small aubergine, chopped

1 courgette. chopped

Half a punnet chestnut mushrooms, roughly chopped

Half a red onion, roughly chopped

10 cherry tomatoes, halved

1 yellow pepper, chopped

Seasoning

Vegetable stock bouillon

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp dried thyme

What to do:

Prepare all the vegetables and place them into your big roasting tray. Season well and sprinkle with the thyme. You can prepare this in advance ready to roast later. When left, the salted vegetables will omit moisture meaning they require less oil so this helps save ProPoints! When ready, roast in a hot oven (200 fan) for a good 30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes or so.

10 minutes before the end cook the couscous in a saucepan with boiling water and vegetable stock or 1tsp of vegetable bouillon and some salt. Cook according to the packet instructions which is about 7-8 minutes. Drain once you have finished cooking.

While the couscous is cooking, heat a frying pan or griddle pan. Lightly spray the skin of the trout fillets with olive oil and season with salt & pepper. Place skin side down in the hot pan and leave for 3-4 minutes to brown and crispen. Season the flesh side and then turn over to cook on the other side. Depending on the thickness it should take a total of approximately 8 minutes although I do like mine a little pink inside. If you find it's getting too brown in the frying pan, finish cooking in the oven for 2-3 minutes.

Remove the vegetables from the oven and put the drained couscous into the roasting tray mixing well. Serve the couscous and veg on the plate and top with the trout fillet.